Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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55. To ask the Minister for Health if it is his Department's intention and the Health Service Executive's intention to employ the required number of consultants to continue to provide 24-hour emergency department services at Portlaoise hospital in County Laois. [27661/15]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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I am committed to the further development of the role of Portlaoise Hospital as a constituent hospital within the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group, which also includes St. James's, Tallaght, Tullamore, Naas and the Coombe Hospitals.

The Dublin Midlands Hospital Group and the HSE Acute Hospitals Division are examining the scope of services in Portlaoise, and other hospitals in the Group, subsequent to the recent HIQA report on the hospital. There is a progressive complex planning process underway within the HSE involving many interdependencies and the engagement and input of relevant staff to develop the best clinical services for all patients. Decisions will be made on the basis of maximising patient safety and outcomes, not financial considerations. Any change to services at Portlaoise, including ED services, will be undertaken in a planned and orderly manner and will take account of existing patient flows, demands in other hospitals and the need to develop particular services at Portlaoise in the context of overall service reorganisation in the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group.

In relation to employment of consultants in the Emergency Department, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and my officials will follow the matter up.